I n ter g o ver n men tal Rel ati o n s Q u ar ter l y Rep o r t...F or i t t o t hri ve, i t must...

Intergovernmental RelationsQuarterly ReportQuarter 1 2021

24 March 2021

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Intergovernmental Relations Quarterly ReportQuarter 1 2021

24 March 2021

This information is also available on the GOV.UK website:www.gov.uk/government/collections/intergovernmental-relations

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Contents

Foreword 7

UK government’s approach to intergovernmental relations 81.1 UK government’s transparency commitments 81.2 The review of intergovernmental relations 81.3 Principles for intergovernmental relations 91.4 Context of intergovernmental working and future reporting 9

Intergovernmental engagement: Quarter 1 2021 112.1 Cabinet Office 112.2 Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy 122.3 Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 122.4 Department for Education 132.5 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 142.6 Department of Health and Social Care 142.7 Department for International Trade 152.8 Department for Transport 152.9 Department for Work and Pensions 162.10 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 162.11 Her Majesty’s Treasury 172.12 Home Office 172.13 Ministry of Defence 182.14 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 182.15 Ministry of Justice 192.16 Northern Ireland Office 202.17 Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland 202.18 Office of the Secretary of State for Wales 21

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Intergovernmental Relations Quarterly Report: Quarter 1 2021

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The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster andMinister for the Cabinet Office

Chloe Smith MP

Minister of State for the Constitution andDevolution

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ForewordAlmost every day ministers and civil servants from each department of the United Kingdomgovernment are in touch with their counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,discussing joint decision-making and pragmatic ways to work together. Whether these dealingstake place at a formal meeting or ad hoc; via a telephone call or in person; or on a bilateral ormultilateral basis, they come under the umbrella description of ‘intergovernmental relations’ or IGR.The purpose is to achieve better outcomes for UK citizens.

Ever since powers were devolved, IGR has supported better collaboration, coordination andcooperation between the UK government and devolved administrations. But for too long a greatdeal of this positive contact has gone under the radar, the many achievements unheralded andcitizens largely unaware of what is being worked on in their interests. This new report on IGR – thefirst in a regular series of quarterly updates to be published by the UK government – seeks to putthis right. And it could not be more timely.

Over the past 12 months, regular engagement between the UK government and devolvedadministrations has been particularly important and complex. The country’s resilience has beentested primarily by the fast-moving COVID-19 crisis, the greatest challenge in peacetime, but alsoby the need to agree our new trading relationship with the European Union (EU). I could not thinkof a better moment to open up our IGR to public scrutiny. To set out, department by department, fulldetails of the UK government’s engagement as reassurance that it is being carried out in theinterests of the whole UK, and with fairness, trust and accountability at its heart. I believe that themore attention is paid to IGR, the more collaboration will result, encouraging administrations towork together more productively.

This new report is part of a wider culture shift in our approach to IGR and efforts to formaliseengagement in the long term with new structures and processes. Day-to-day responsibility forconstitutional integrity of the union falls to me as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and theMinister for the Cabinet Office.

The establishment of quarterly, and also, annual reports into IGR activity are part of a range ofmeasures that I announced in November 2020 to support greater transparency, reporting andparliamentary engagement. Other UK government steps to improve IGR transparency include anew GOV.UK page1 and publishing communiqués about meetings held through a range ofintergovernmental fora. The new arrangements, guided by draft principles published in July 2019,reflect the UK’s constitutional context today and changes in IGR since devolution, in line with theneeds of the devolved administrations. Most notably, these include the devolved administrations’increased powers and responsibilities and also the powers regained by all governments overdomestic policy outside the EU.

This government is steadfast in its commitment to protect and champion the shared history, beliefsand interests embodied in our union – the most successful political and economic partnership theworld has seen. For it to thrive, it must continue to deliver for each part of the UK, taking intoaccount the many diverse interests. As the COVID-19 response showed, we are at our strongestwhen we work as one union, prioritising the needs of all our citizens. Turning the spotlight on ourIGR will help us all to build back better, as one United Kingdom.

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MPChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Cabinet Office

1 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/intergovernmental-relations

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1. UK government’s approach to intergovernmentalrelations1.1 UK government’s transparency commitmentsThe UK government (UKG) deeply values the core principles of transparency of IGR, recognisingthat accountability and effective parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s participation inintergovernmental structures will support administrations to work together effectively on behalf ofall citizens across the UK.

The government announced in November 2020 a number of measures by written ministerialstatement in both Houses of Parliament to support transparency, reporting and parliamentaryengagement on IGR. These included the creation of a new GOV.UK page2 to improve publicaccess to principal documents, such as records of formal intergovernmental meetings, theMemorandum of Understanding on Devolution3 and quarterly reports on all IGR activity. Thisincreased transparency will be complemented by regular statements in UK Parliament by UKGministers on IGR, appropriate appearances before select committees, and a report on IGR activitylaid annually in the UK Parliament. The measures are intended to support Parliament’s capacity toscrutinise the UKG’s role in IGR with the DAs. The measures do not place any obligations on otheradministrations to report to their legislatures, although they mirror the approaches taken by theWelsh and Scottish governments.

This document is the first quarterly report to be published since these measures were announced.It includes details of meetings between UKG ministers with the Welsh and Scottish governments,and Northern Ireland Executive, in both bilateral and multilateral settings. It is not, however, anexhaustive list: there are many other fora in which the UKG and the DAs engage, including withinCabinet Committee structures and bodies such as the British-Irish Council, as well as thesignificant engagement at official level. These meetings are not covered in this report.

The report is being published slightly ahead of schedule, so as not to coincide with the UKParliamentary recess or the pre-election period for Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections.Thus it covers ministerial engagement between 1 January - 28 February 2021, rather than a fullquarter of the year. In light of the shorter reporting period, it is supplemented by introductorycommentary on the overall nature of engagement and relations between administrations since2019. In addition, certain departments have outlined activity that took place in December 2020 tofurther enhance transparency.

1.2 The review of intergovernmental relationsThe IGR review was jointly agreed by the UKG and DAs to ensure intergovernmental structuresremain fit for purpose in the current context. The aim is to revise and build upon the currentstructures for engagement and the dispute avoidance and resolution process, set out in theMemorandum of Understanding on Devolution.

A progress update on the review, published alongside this first transparency report, exploresoptions for joint reporting. Whilst work will continue to strengthen intergovernmental engagementstructures through the IGR review, the UKG recognises the immediate benefits of enablingappropriate parliamentary and public scrutiny of the UKG’s participation in intergovernmental

3https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/devolution-memorandum-of-understanding-and-supplementary-agreement

2 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/intergovernmental-relations

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meetings. This report therefore covers engagement between the UKG and the DAs throughexisting intergovernmental mechanisms.

1.3 Principles for intergovernmental relationsDraft principles for IGR were developed jointly by the UKG and the DAs as part of the review ofIGR and published by the UKG in July 2019. The UKG is committed to ensuring effective jointworking according to the following principles:

1. Maintaining positive and constructive relations, based on mutual respect for theresponsibilities of the governments and their shared role in the governance of the UK

2. Building and maintaining trust, based on effective communication3. Sharing information and respecting confidentiality4. Promoting understanding of, and accountability for, their intergovernmental activity5. Resolving disputes according to a clear and agreed process.

Since 2019, these principles have guided the review of IGR. They have also supported the UKG’sapproach to engagement with the DAs through existing mechanisms.

1.4 Context of intergovernmental working and future reportingIt is important to recognise the extent to which the IGR review, coupled with the UK’s exit from theEuropean Union (EU) and the joint response to COVID-19, have been catalysts for increasingengagement between the UKG and the DAs. All UKG departments have undertaken a wide rangeof intergovernmental meetings at both official and ministerial level, ranging from ad hoc to regularestablished working groups, senior official discussions, and ministerial fora, to consider significantpolicies and operational decisions prior to 2021. Some highlights between July 2019 andNovember 2020 include:

● over 50 meetings between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)ministers and the DAs through the Interministerial Group for Environment, Food and RuralAffairs (IMG EFRA) and through bilateral engagements on a range of important issues,including delivery of common frameworks, matters relating to the UK’s exit from the EU,and a wide range of regulatory issues across the EFRA sectors

● over 50 meetings between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) ministersand the DAs, and near constant communication with the UKG Secretary of State for Healthand Social Care since March 2020, to advance the response to the COVID-19 pandemic,and to prepare for the end of the transition period

● 22 meetings chaired by UKG’s trade ministers on trade policy, export and investmentleading up to the end of the transition period

● Cabinet Office ministers hosting, chairing and attending meetings on developments in EUnegotiations, preparations for the end of the transition period and the IGR review, including8 meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations), and many other bilateraland multilateral meetings

● the Department for Education (DfE) ministers engaging their DA counterparts 84 times, withdiscussions predominantly focused on education recovery from COVID-19, between thestart of the COVID-19 pandemic and November 2020

● the Department for Transport (DfT) engaging in 66 ministerial meetings to discuss a rangeof cross-cutting issues, including the UK’s exit from the EU, COVID-19 travel restrictions,effects on the sector, and wider transport issues

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● the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) engaging in over 70ministerial meetings on a range of issues including, but not limited to, delivering net zero,unleashing innovation, supporting business through the pandemic and recovery, andbacking long-term growth.

Relevant ministers across administrations have also met to consider further COVID-19-relatedmatters, the UK’s exit from the EU, and wider policies to provide support and deliver services. Thisincludes military assistance and the repatriation of nationals during the pandemic andconsiderations relating to sport, tourism, employment and welfare, justice, and security and asylummatters. The range of this engagement across areas of both reserved and devolved competence istestament to the importance of intergovernmental cooperation for the whole of the UKG.

The Territorial Offices also play an important and unique role in engagement between the UKG andthe DAs. They are both the UKG’s voice in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the voice ofthe respective parts of the UK in Whitehall. They frequently support and facilitate conversationsbetween the UK administrations, working with other departments in the UKG to ensure theparticular issues in each part of the UK are fully considered. They also have an important role toplay in engaging with stakeholders in each part of the UK and ensuring their voices are heardduring policy development and decision making.

This section of the report provides a brief overview of some of the important topics and issues thathave been considered jointly with the DAs, in line with the different devolution settlements and theneeds of the policy area, to ensure UK-wide alignment and consideration. The aim of the UKG’sregular reporting commitments is to continue to ensure full openness, transparency, andaccountability over all meetings that take place between administrations. This first report is thestarting point in that process.

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2. Intergovernmental engagement: Quarter 1 20212.1 Cabinet OfficeThe Cabinet Office (CO) is committed to working extensively with the DAs through effective IGR. Atboth ministerial and official level, the CO regularly brings together all administrations to workcollaboratively and cooperate on areas of common priority for the governance of the UK and inorder to strengthen the union.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the CabinetOffice has held regular calls with the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, and the First anddeputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland, to help bring about a coordinated pandemic responsethat is in the best interests of the whole UK. The meetings, supported by a senior officials group,have regularly focused on topical items raised by all attendees. This includes UK-wide data,strategies for improving compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions, and communicationswork across all parts of the UK. This is in addition to opportunities for joint working and furthercollaboration to ensure that the UK-wide COVID-19 response remains as effective as possible.

The Minister for Constitution and Devolution also chaired the first Interministerial Group (IMG) forElections and Registration with the DAs in February, where terms of reference for the IMG wereagreed. This successful and constructive first meeting has been supplemented by further bilateralengagements in the preparations for the May elections. Ministers agreed to meet again followingthe elections in May, where one of the agenda items will be to review the May ‘21 polls in England,Wales and Scotland.

The COP26 President Designate chairs the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26)DA Ministerial Group, which is attended by climate change ministers from the DAs as well as theUKG Territorial Secretaries of State. The purpose of the group is to ensure effective engagementand collaboration between the UKG and the DAs on the COP26, which is taking place in Glasgowin November 2021. The group met for the first time on 6 November 2020 and will meet quarterly inthe run up to the conference.

In partnership with the Ministry of Defence, the CO also engages through the Ministerial Covenantand Veterans Board (MCVB), an intergovernmental group which includes DA ministerialrepresentation. The MCVB provides a forum to discuss and coordinate the strategic direction of thearmed forces Covenant and support for veterans, as the departments implement the Covenant andthe Strategy for our veterans, and monitors their progress. The Board is due to meet again inSpring 2021, co-chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Secretary of State forDefence. Furthermore, Veterans Commissioners from the DAs are invited to attend the VeteransAdvisory Board, which provides advice, challenge and diversity of thought to the UKG on a rangeof veterans issues.

The CO remains in close contact with the DAs on matters relating to the UK’s exit from the EU. InDecember 2020, 2 meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) (JMC(EN)) wereconvened, chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and attended by ministers from theUKG, Welsh Government, Scottish Government, and Northern Ireland Executive. Upon thesuccessful outcome of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and since the end ofthe transition period on 31 December 2020, engagement has been primarily at official level. Thesame month, there were also 2 bilateral meetings between the CO Parliamentary Secretary andWelsh Government ministers, the Minister for European Transition and Minister for Finance andTrefnydd, to discuss port infrastructure and procurement reform respectively. Future engagementon issues formerly discussed at the JMC(EN) forum will be in line with outcomes of the IGR review,and reflect the UK’s new relationship with the EU now negotiations have concluded. In February2021, the Minister of State for Efficiency and Transformation in the Cabinet Office and Secretary of

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State for Wales also met with the Minister for European Transition in the Welsh Government todiscuss Welsh border infrastructure.

In line with the UKG’s wider transparency proposals, communiqués from many of these meetingsare publicly available on the GOV.UK Intergovernmental Relations collections page. This collectionwill continue to grow as further structures are formalised.

2.2 Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial StrategyMinisters in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have shown astrong commitment to engagement with their DA counterparts. In particular, the BEIS Business andIndustry (B&I) Quadrilateral and the Net Zero IMG (formerly the ‘Energy and Climate Change’Quadrilateral) have been running for 2 years. The frequency of the B&I Quadrilateral increasedfrom March 2020 to fortnightly where possible in response to COVID-19, with a focus on economicsupport and recovery.

The department has continued a regular rhythm of both ministerial and senior official engagementwith the DAs across the department’s portfolio into 2021, with numerous bilateral and multilateralministerial engagements. These have focused on delivering against the department’s priorities –including delivering net zero, unleashing innovation, supporting business through the pandemicand recovery, and backing long-term growth.

The B&I Quadrilateral has met on 3 occasions in 2021, represented by the Minister for SmallBusiness, Consumers and Labour Markets in the department. The meetings have a rotating chairwith Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive chairing the 3 todate this year. Discussions have focused on COVID-19 business support, economic recovery, andthe end of the transition period. The quadrilaterals will continue to meet throughout the year. Thesecretariat supporting this quadrilateral, made up of officials from the UKG and the DAs, meets inthe preceding week and collectively sets the agenda for upcoming meetings.

The Net Zero IMG has met once in 2021, with the Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growthand Minister for Climate Change and Corporate Responsibility representing the department. Thismeeting, chaired by the Welsh Government, focused on the setting of Carbon Budget 6 and theforthcoming net zero strategy; the heat and buildings strategy and the design of the UK EmissionsTrading Scheme. The group will next meet in April.

The frequency of engagement of the ministerial structures will be kept under review, in discussionwith the DAs.

In addition to the above engagements, the Minister for Business and Industry’s responsibilitieschanged on 28 November 2020. He now sits across both the BEIS and the Department of Healthand Social Care (DHSC) and continues regular engagement with the DAs under his DHSC remit.

At official level, engagement with the DAs is well-embedded and is carried out by teams across thedepartment.

2.3 Department for Digital, Culture, Media and SportMinisters and senior officials in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) takepart in regular engagement with their devolved counterparts. These discussions cover importantpolicy areas of mutual interest, including the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Festival UK 2022, UKCity of Culture, as well as the effects of COVID-19 and the UK’s exit from the EU on the tourism,culture and sport sectors.

Formal ministerial engagement occurs on a quadrilateral and cyclical basis with ministers fromScotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with a view to deepening relationships, improvingintergovernmental working and increasing transparency from already good levels. At official level,

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the DCMS has developed strong working relationships with their counterparts in the DAs. This isreflected in positive collaboration and an appetite to continue to work closely together.

At present, the DCMS has 3 quadrilateral ministerial engagement structures that are being set upas IMGs.

Of these, Sport Cabinet meetings are held between all 4 administrations’ sports ministers on anannual basis and chaired on a rotating basis. While no meeting fell in this reporting period, with thenext scheduled for summer 2021, previous discussions have covered COVID-19’s effect on sportand physical activity, including the National Lottery; the 2022 Commonwealth Games inBirmingham; Sport Agencies’ Chair update; and the World Cup 2030 bid.

Tourism ministers’ meetings, meanwhile, are more frequent, having been held approximately every2 months during the COVID-19 pandemic between the UKG and the DAs and chaired by theDCMS Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism. During the last meeting, on 28 January 2021, theGroup discussed COVID-19 recovery and plans for reopening the sector.

Finally, the first Four Nations Ministerial Culture Meeting was held on 16 December 2020, chairedby the UKG Minister for Digital and Culture. The meeting discussed Festival UK 2022, COVID-19recovery and the UK’s exit from the EU and was mutually recognised as a valuable forum at whichto share information on UK-wide initiatives. Those present agreed that similarly constructivemeetings should take place in the future, with the DCMS looking to hold a follow-up in May atwhich City of Culture 2025 issues would be added to the agenda.

Rotating chairs and locations are proposed for the Tourism and Culture IMGs, subject to COVID-19restrictions. In their absence, the UKG Tourism Minister will continue to chair virtual meetings every2 months between the 4 tourism ministers, though bilateral meetings in late March will take placeinstead.

2.4 Department for EducationWhile education, children’s services and skills are almost entirely devolved, the Department forEducation (DfE) works with the DAs in a number of important ways: liaising on domestic policieswhich require cross-border co-operation, consultation and coordination; exchanging policy thinkingand sharing best practice; and coordinating international business, including international statisticalreturns and participation in international benchmarking studies.

Between them, the UKG Secretary of State for Education, the Minister of State for Universities andthe Minister of State for School Standards have met their counterparts in the Northern IrelandExecutive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government on 20 occasions betweenDecember 2020 and February 2021. These meetings were a mix of bilateral and multilateraldiscussions and built on the extensive ministerial and official engagement between DfE and theDAs that took place throughout 2020.

Engagement focused on addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education – forexample, approaches taken by each administration to reopening education settings andarrangements for awarding qualifications in 2021. During this period, the UKG Minister of State forUniversities also met her counterparts to discuss the new Turing scheme, which will supportstudents in the UK to study and work abroad.

The DfE plans to continue the productive engagement at both official and ministerial levels with theDAs, particularly on education recovery and catch-up on lost learning. It will also explore with theDAs other areas of policy exchange and collaboration at ministerial level that can mutually benefityoung people across the UK.

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2.5 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Interministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (IMG EFRA) is the forum fordiscussion between administrations on areas of mutual interest across agriculture, fisheries,environment, food and rural affairs. It meets regularly throughout the year. In 2021, the IMG EFRAmet by video conferencing on Monday 25 January and is scheduled to meet again in March.

Details of the discussions at the January IMG are contained in the communique4, which is availableon the GOV.UK page on IGR, alongside all other communiqués for the IMG EFRA.

2.6 Department of Health and Social CareThe UKG has worked collaboratively across the whole of the UK to respond to the globalpandemic, supporting our UK-wide NHS and social care systems.

Since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Carehas been in constant communication with the DA health ministers to deliver responses that benefitpeople across the whole of the UK.

This has included weekly Secretary of State and health minister meetings to share information,resolve shared issues and address areas of mutual concern in response to the pandemic. Items ofdiscussion have included the COVID-19 vaccine deployment, the National Testing Programme andensuring sufficient testing capacity and capability across the UK. This is in addition to the supply ofcrucial products, including personal protective equipment (PPE), global threats and theinterventions to support the UK response to new variants and health measures at the border.

Several productive bilateral meetings have been held this year by the Minister for COVID-19Vaccine Deployment. It should be noted that the Minister’s responsibilities changed on 28November 2020, to cover both the BEIS and the DHSC and he has engaged the DAs under hisDHSC remit.

There has also been multilateral and bilateral ministerial engagement on other priority areas, suchas preparation for the end of the transition period and taking forward the UK’s new relationship withthe EU. In late 2020, in the lead up to the end of the transition period, the Minister for Health had anumber of bilateral and multilateral engagements with DA counterparts. The Minister also met inearly March 2021 with the Minister for Health in Northern Ireland on the implementation of theNorthern Ireland Protocol.

The Minister for Innovation also held several collaborative bilateral meetings throughout 2020 withministers in the DAs to discuss issues within his portfolio of responsibilities, including on theUK-wide vision for the future of clinical research delivery, the UK response to long-COVID-19 andthe Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021.

In addition to this ministerial engagement, there has been daily official level engagement with DAcounterparts. The 4 chief medical officers continue to meet regularly too which has supportedcoordinated scientific advice to the UKG and the DAs and the DHSC has solidified a number offora across areas such as, PPE; COVID-19 vaccine deployment; therapeutics; NHS Test andTrace; shielding and protecting the vulnerable; EU and trade policy; supply of medicines andmedical goods; Adult Social Care; and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response(EPRR) teams.

4https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/communique-from-the-inter-ministerial-group-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs/inter-ministerial-group-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs-img-efra-communique-25-january-2021

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The DHSC is considering how to build further on these working relationships and provide greatertransparency. Officials are commencing discussions with DA officials on establishing an IMG,complementing the extensive ministerial engagement which is underway.

2.7 Department for International TradeThe Department for International Trade (DIT) has established a programme of ministerialengagement with the DAs to strengthen and support the UK’s international trade programme.

The Ministerial Forum for Trade was established in 2019 and is chaired by the Minister of State forTrade Policy, with the relevant ministers from each of the DAs in attendance. The forum meets atleast 3 times a year with further meetings convened by agreement. The forum provides a regulararena for strategic updates and discussions on all crucial trade matters, such as developments onthe free trade agreements (FTAs) the UKG is negotiating. The forum last met on 9 December 2020and is scheduled to meet again before the pre-election period in Scotland and Wales commences.It is supported by a senior officials group, which meets every 6 weeks.

Outside of the more formal structures, DIT ministers and officials meet regularly with theircounterparts in each of the DAs to engage on all aspects of the department’s priorities. Thisincludes regular updates from chief negotiators in relation to important areas of interest in FTAdevelopments or disputes.

The DIT also holds meetings on a bilateral basis with DA ministers to discuss trade promotion andinvestment. The most recent bilateral meetings took place in February 2021, led by the Minister forInvestment, to discuss the Office for Investment.

2.8 Department for TransportThe Department for Transport (DfT) is engaging with the DAs regularly at a senior official andministerial level across modes, as well as on cross-cutting issues.

Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a ministerial working group was set up to discussthe transport issues across the UK. It has been led by 2 Parliamentary Under Secretary of Statesin the department. This is in addition to regular engagement with other ministers in relation to theirrespective portfolios.

The meeting now takes place approximately bi-monthly, with discussion predominantly centered onthe second wave of COVID-19’s effect on transport and financial support packages, and how thevaccine will affect the sector. It will continue to engage on wider portfolio matters post COVID-19.

The COVID-19 ministerial working group meeting has been adopted as the department’s IMG aspart of the IGR review work. The subjects for discussion will widen as the forum offers theopportunity to harness the current engagement to further consider departmental matters of mutualinterest.

The joint communiqués5 are published on GOV.UK after meetings, which includes the date,location, list of participants and a summary of the discussion points.

The Union Connectivity Review, independently chaired by Sir Peter Hendy, has requiredengagement with the DAs. Sir Peter has met all DA ministers and will continue to engage beforeand after publication of the interim report in March 2021.

The department is engaging with the DAs on all matters relating to the UK’s exit from the EU.

5https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/communiques-from-the-inter-ministerial-group-for-transport-matters

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2.9 Department for Work and PensionsIssues of work and welfare – and in particular making sure people around the UK continue to besupported – are at the heart of the engagement carried out by the Department for Work andPensions (DWP)’s Secretary of State and ministers. Their involvement with the DAs is centred onthe relationship between reserved and devolved welfare support, and making sure information isshared in areas such as employment, which are partly reserved and partly devolved. The picturefor work and welfare is a complex one across the UK. In Wales, all powers are reserved. Whereas,in Northern Ireland, social security, pensions and child support powers are transferred. In Scotland,the DWP is currently managing the transfer and implementation of powers outlined in the ScotlandAct 2016 (building on the 2014 Smith Commission), which devolved considerable social securityand employment support functions.

The Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare between the UK and Scottish governments is heldregularly to oversee the implementation of the relevant provisions of the Scotland Act 2016. This isco-chaired by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security andOlder People in Scottish Government, and attended by the Minister of State for Disabled People,Work and Health, who is the UKG department’s lead minister for the union and devolution. TheJoint Ministerial meetings were initially held once every 4 months but at the request of the ScottishGovernment are now biannual. They are supplemented by bilateral meetings between DWPministers and their Scottish Government counterparts responsible for the social security andemployment portfolios.

In addition to ministerial activity, engagement with the DAs at official and working level is frequent.Senior policy officials meet with their counterparts in the DAs at least monthly, and often weekly inthe case of devolution policy, and contact at working-level is even more regular. In relation to theimplementation of the powers devolved in the Scotland Act 2016, a number of meetings and jointworkshops have taken place, including familiarisation visits to both the DWP processing sites andJobcentres, in order to support the Scottish Government as it seeks to establish elements of itsown welfare system. Additionally, although the department does not currently operate in NorthernIreland, the DWP engages in regular discussions with the Department for Communities (DfC) inNorthern Ireland on both policy and operational matters.

Significant engagement between the DWP’s ministers and the DAs took place in December 2020.This included a trilateral meeting between the DWP’s Secretary of State and ministers from theWelsh and Scottish governments to discuss the UKG’s Plan for Jobs, as well as the JointMinisterial Working Group on Welfare between the UK and Scottish governments. Engagementcontinued at official level during January and February. Ministerial engagement with the NorthernIreland Executive is planned for March 2021.

At senior official level, there have been numerous engagements across many specialisms (policy,analytical, legal, digital, operational and others). Engagement at working level remains frequent,not least given the DWP’s significant physical presence through its Jobcentres and otheroperational sites in Scotland and Wales.

2.10 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeWhile the UK retains responsibility for international relations, at ministerial and official level there isregular engagement with colleagues in the DAs on a range of matters relating to UK nationalsoverseas, relationships with international partners and development goals and opportunities. Thisengagement is carried out by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), alsotaking up areas that used to come under the former Department for International Development(DFID).

Throughout the period, FCDO officials – in support of ministers and all parts of the UK – haveremained in close contact with their colleagues in the DAs in the UK and overseas. They have

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attended to issues such as consular support for UK nationals, COVID-19 and human rights;continued to identify opportunities of mutual interest through their soft power networks, and at thesame time carried on with their regular contacts with the UKG's international partners.

Ministerial engagement shortly before the period covered by the quarterly report includes anintroductory meeting between the Minister for South Asia and the Commonwealth and the ScottishGovernment Minister for Europe and International Development. This took place on 1 December2020 as part of the former’s itinerary for his virtual visit to Glasgow. On the agenda were a range oftopics, including the importance of the South Asian diaspora, the Scottish Government’s work ininternational development, and the forthcoming UN COP26 conference on climate change inGlasgow in November 2021.

Over the next quarter, the FCDO will work with the DAs to agree a timetable for regularengagement between the FCDO and DA senior officials, to ensure continued delivery for all partsof the UK, including through future formalised intergovernmental structures.

2.11 Her Majesty’s Treasury

Responsibility for UK fiscal policy, macroeconomic policy and funding allocation across the UKremains with Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT). It is important that the way in which funding to theDAs is determined is clear, transparent, unambiguous and capable of timely examination andanalysis by the devolved legislatures and the UK Parliament.

The other shared interests – particularly as the country builds back from the COVID-19 crisis –include the need to encourage sustainable economic growth in all parts of the UK; maintaining andimproving the management of public finances; providing high quality public services at the bestpossible value; and ensuring that the UK remains internationally competitive for the good of peopleall across the country.

While at ministerial level this relationship is led by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the rest ofthe ministerial team, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Financial Secretary to theTreasury and the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, also engage with ministers from theScottish and Welsh governments, and the Northern Ireland Executive.

In the period covered by the quarterly report, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury met two WelshGovernment ministers and one Scottish Government minister in January 2021 regarding thedelivery of freeports. In February 2021, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury met two ScottishGovernment ministers, one Welsh Government minister and one minister from the Northern IrelandExecutive to discuss Net Zero, energy and climate change.

2.12 Home OfficeHome Office (HO) engagement with the DAs at official level is extensive across all business areas.The engagement varies depending on whether the matter is reserved or devolved, and theresulting nature of the partnership working. The department leads on some important quadrilateralfora, such as those for managing the UK-wide approach to modern slavery, serious organisedcrime, internal security and fire and rescue services.

Over the past quarter, the HO has engaged with the DAs on health measures at the border, thefuture border and immigration system and on contingency asylum accommodation at ministerialand/or official level.

The HO is also actively engaged with the DAs on issues relating to drug misuse, includingparticipation in regular monthly meetings between the UKG and the DAs. The Crime and PolicingMinister met the Scottish Government Drugs Minister in February 2021 to discuss, amongst otherthings, holding a further UK Drugs ministerial meeting in the future.

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Home Office ministers have also engaged with ministerial counterparts on prospective bills,including the Domestic Abuse Bill 2020 and Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021. TheMinister for the Lords met the Lord Advocate to discuss the Covert Human Intelligence Sources(Criminal Conduct) Bill 2021 in which the HO committed to working with the Lord Advocate’s officeand operational partners to enable the implementation of guidelines in the absence of a LegislativeConsent Memorandum.

The department will continue to engage the DAs on all areas of the business and is currentlydeveloping plans for an IMG on safety and security matters. The Home Secretary is committed toworking collaboratively and sharing core activity and learning for all the people of the UK.

2.13 Ministry of DefenceSuccessful working and engagement with the DAs is important to defence to increase mutualunderstanding and improve policy making and outcomes. The armed forces and their familiesbased in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales rely on devolved services. The complementaryefforts across the UKG and the DAs to support our personnel and veterans provide positiveexamples of how the UKG and the DAs can work together to achieve common interests.

Defence ministers do not have devolved counterparts as such, but ministerial engagement isfocused on portfolios covering industry, economy, military basing and support for the armed forcescovenant and veterans. Throughout 2020 military assistance on the COVID-19 pandemic alsopresented opportunities for ministers and others to engage. The Ministry of Defence (MoD)ministers value regular bilateral ministerial engagement and will look for opportunities to increaseand deepen those relations throughout 2021. The publication of the MoD Integrated ReviewCommand Paper and the review of the Defence Security and Industrial Strategy in March 2021 willmark a renewed programme of engagement. Ministers will want to discuss implementation ofconclusions from these reviews and opportunities created for the UKG and the DAs. Together withthe Scottish Government, the MoD is exploring further collaboration on Defence Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and youth programmes and will look to rollthese out further across the UK.

Senior military officers based in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and elsewhere also engagethe DA ministers on issues relevant to the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. This willcontinue throughout 2021.

The Office for Veterans Affairs, based in the Cabinet Office, also co-chairs with the MoD theMinisterial Covenant and Veterans Board (MCVB). Details on this are covered in section 2.1.

2.14 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentAs the UKG’s department for ‘place’, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government(MHCLG) is committed to building positive, constructive relationships with the DAs at all levelsacross its portfolio. These relationships are vital as MHCLG sets the pace on developing UK-wideprogrammes focused on left behind places and which will level up investment, prosperity andopportunity for all people, communities and businesses across the UK.

The MHCLG built these relationships through formal and informal engagement with the DAs.Senior officials lead discussions across the MHCLG portfolio, including on matters relating to localgrowth, housing market analysis, planning reform, building safety, local government and theongoing response to COVID-19.

The department recognises the importance of constructive discussions at ministerial level. On 12January 2021, the then UKG Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing met with ScottishGovernment’s Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to discuss amendments to theBuilding Safety Bill 2020.

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To formalise the arrangements for ministerial discussions, officials are currently working with theircounterparts in the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive toestablish a new IMG on housing, communities and local government. This IMG will provide theUKG and the DAs with a forum for discussions on devolved and reserved policy matters within theMHCLG’s portfolio. Details of the meetings of this group will be published according to agreedtransparency arrangements. It is intended that this IMG meets regularly, providing ministers fromthe UKG and the DAs the opportunity to discuss important areas of mutual interest.

In the coming months, the MHCLG’s ministerial engagement will include several bilateral andmultilateral discussions on the UKG’s UK-wide investment programmes announced at the Budgeton 3 March 2021, including the UK Community Renewal Fund, the Levelling Up Fund and the UKCommunity Ownership Fund. This engagement will also extend to local governments from all 4nations who are being invited to a ministerial webinar hosted by the UKG. In the longer term, theaim is also to have broader discussions in areas of shared interest, including on the future role ofcommunities and local government across the UK on crucial issues such as tackling climatechange and the recovery from the pandemic.

This engagement will bring a better understanding of communities and places across the UK to theUKG and strengthen relationships between the UKG and the DAs. The aim is to include details ofthe first IMG meeting and the engagement following announcements made at the 2021 Budget inthe next quarterly report.

2.15 Ministry of Justice

Because justice is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but a reserved matter in Wales, themajor focus of the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) engagement with the DAs is with the WelshGovernment. A concordat published in 2018, setting out good practice for working relationshipsbetween the MoJ and the Welsh Government, was an important step forward for improved IGR andjustice outcomes for both administrations. It encourages MoJ ministers and officials to ensure theWelsh Government’s interests when designing and implementing UK justice policy and activitieslikely to have an effect in Wales; and the Welsh Government, in turn, to consider the interests andresponsibilities of the MoJ when exercising devolved functions. This clarity and accountability hasfostered productive working relationships and the sharing of best practice.

However, there is also scope for closer work between the MoJ and the Scottish Government,Northern Ireland Executive, and their justice partners, on areas of shared mutual interest, such asprison policy. The MoJ is planning to increase this engagement.

Under the Concordat with the Welsh Government there is no fixed timetable for meetings. Theprimary relationship has been between the Minister for Prisons and Probation at the MoJ and theDeputy Minister and Chief Whip in the Welsh Government. They have met on an ad hoc basisaround particular topics or decisions, supplemented by correspondence. The last meeting tookplace in January 2021. The Lord Chancellor has also met the Welsh Government’s First Minister,Counsel General and Deputy Minister and Chief Whip and is committed to continuing to engagewith them on justice matters.

MoJ agencies in Wales engage closely with the Welsh Government on a range of devolvedresponsibilities that are essential to delivering services to offenders, and within the civil and familyjustice system.

In terms of wider DA engagement, MoJ hosts a regular criminal justice discussion. This providesan opportunity for senior officials from the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executiveand MoJ operational officials from Wales, to meet to consider the latest criminal justice policy andoperational issues, including COVID-19 management.

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Ad hoc meetings take place regularly on cross-cutting policy issues, such as criminalcompensation, legal services and judicial policy.

2.16 Northern Ireland OfficeThe Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (SoSNI) and Minister of State for Northern Ireland(MoSNI) undertake regular bilateral engagements with ministers in the Northern Ireland Executivefocused on a wide range of topics.

This year a core focus of such engagements has been in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocoland its implementation following the trade agreement with the EU. There has also been regularengagement on COVID-19 related matters, including the ongoing vaccination programme,economic recovery and easing of restrictions. Ministers also held a number of positiveengagements in the lead up to the recent City Deals announcement for Derry/Londonderry, whichreflects a real world example of how the successful collaboration of IGR can achieve significantmilestones. The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) ministers and the Northern Ireland Executiveministers will continue to meet frequently, to discuss the major issues affecting Northern Irelandand encourage collaborative working between the UKG and the DAs.

This will include the ongoing quarterly Joint Board meetings, established as a part of the NewDecade, New Approach deal, and which will be attended by the SOSNI, Northern Ireland’s Firstand deputy First Minister and other Northern Ireland Executive ministers as required. The JointBoard provides oversight of the funding arrangements for the transformation in health, educationand justice measures. This engagement will ensure that the UKG can support the Northern IrelandExecutive to take steps to improve public services and increase the sustainability of NorthernIreland’s finances. The last meeting of the Board took place on 3 March 2021.

2.17 Office of the Secretary of State for ScotlandThe Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) ensures Scottish interests are fully andeffectively represented at the heart of the UKG, and the UKG’s responsibilities are fully andeffectively represented in Scotland. The OSSS plays a central role in leading, facilitating andsupporting engagement between the UKG and the Scottish Government.

The OSSS leads certain engagements with the Scottish Government and also supports respectivelead policy departments in the UKG in their engagement with the Scottish Government. This broadspectrum of engagement with the Scottish Government, includes (but is not limited to) policy-basedIMGs, regular COVID-19 meetings led by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the ScottishSeafood Exports Taskforce, and ad hoc engagement as and when required.

In January and February 2021, OSSS ministers met with counterparts in the Scottish Government18 times. The OSSS led or chaired 4 engagements with the Scottish Government, while 14engagements were led by another UKG department, with the OSSS supporting. In these meetings,OSSS ministers discussed a broad range of issues with Scottish Government counterparts,including the transition to new arrangements under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement,the Scottish seafood industry, and seed potato exports.

A strong example of engagement involving the Scottish Government in the early months of 2021 isthe Scottish Seafood Exports Taskforce, a time-limited group which is chaired by the OSSS andwill run until May 2021. The taskforce meets fortnightly to identify issues with export, develop andrecommend practical solutions, and ensure there is effective communication with the industry. Itbrings together the UKG departments, the Scottish Government, and stakeholders in the Scottishseafood export industry. Other examples of engagement include the announcement of a new £70million Rural Growth Deal for Argyll and Bute in February 2021 by the UKG Minister for Scotlandalongside the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure andConnectivity and the Argyll and Bute Council Leader. The Minister also jointly announced a

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£4.5million investment in broadband for Central Scotland together with the Scottish Government’sMinister for Connectivity.

Looking ahead to the next quarter, the OSSS will continue with the regular rhythm of engagementthrough IMGs covering areas of mutual interest to the UKG and the Scottish Government. TheOSSS will continue to chair the fortnightly Scottish Seafood Exports Taskforce until its conclusionin May 2021. In June, the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare is set totake place. This group is co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the CabinetSecretary for Social Security and Older People in Scottish Government. It meets every 6 months toensure the implementation of welfare and employment-related aspects of the Scotland Act 2016.

2.18 Office of the Secretary of State for WalesThroughout January and February 2021, the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW)ministers met with the Welsh Government on 20 occasions, 12 of these engagements were led byother UKG departments with OSSW in a supporting role. This highlights the significant role of theOSSW in supporting and facilitating engagement between the UK and Welsh governments.

Discussions have taken place on a wide range of issues, including regional growth, borderinfrastructure and freeports. OSSW ministers also attend regular meetings chaired by theChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the UK-wide response to COVID-19 and various IMGs.OSSW ministers have also met Welsh Government ministers to discuss topics such as theupcoming Senedd elections and coal tips safety in Wales.

There has been an unprecedented level of engagement between the UKG and the DAs throughoutthe COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 is the biggest challenge the UK and Welshgovernments have faced in generations. Throughout it, the 2 governments have worked moreclosely than ever before and OSSW ministers remain committed to a UK-wide approach to tacklingthe virus.

In the coming months, the OSSW will continue to engage with the Welsh Government bilaterallyand in various ministerial fora. The OSSW will continue to work with other UKG departments tosupport engagement with the Welsh Government.

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